Appel served on several committees in the Iowa Senate:the Agriculture committee;the State Government committee;the Ways and Means committee;and the Education committee,where she was vice chair. She also served as vice chair of the Administration and Regulation Appropriations Subcommittee.[citation needed]
Appel's first bill in the Senate was a proposal to raise the minimum wage in Iowa to $7.25.[6] During her time in the state senate,Appel favored the Equal Pay For Equal Work Act[7][8]
As a member of the Iowa Senate,Appel was appointed Assistant Majority Leader.[citation needed]
Appel lost her bid for reelection to state Representative Kent Sorenson in 2010,[9] 58% to 40%.[10][11]
Political positions
Appel is pro-choice and supports same-sex marriage. She has stated her support for the Affordable Care Act and would not repeal it. Appel endorsed Senator Tom Harkin's proposal to raise the minimum wage to $10.10 per hour. On immigration,she has stated her support for increased border security and a pathway for citizenship for the estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants currently in the United States. On gun rights,Appel has stated that the gun-show loophole should be closed and that background checks should be required wherever a gun is purchased. On foreign policy,she has stated her opposition to Russia's incursions into Ukraine,though noted that "she said she doesn't hear Iowans talking much about foreign policy."[12]
Appel ran for an open congressional seat in Iowa's 3rd congressional district. Incumbent congressman Tom Latham retired.[13] She initially stated she would run for the seat, before announcing that she would not run, citing family obligations, then reversing her decision again to commit to the race.[14] She faced Republican nominee David Young in the general election.[15] David Young won the election with 52.8% of the vote to Appel's 42.2%.[16]
In May 2014, a Republican spokesperson accused Appel of plagiarizing text from another candidate's website, something her campaign manager said he takes responsibility for.[20]
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